


Regrets and Revelations

by Ethereal_Wishes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-25 23:42:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9852260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereal_Wishes/pseuds/Ethereal_Wishes
Summary: In the wish world, Rumplestiltskin discovers what happened to Belle after his release.I wrote this based on a major spoiler. You've been warned!





	

Regrets and Revelations

A/AN: A little something which popped in my head after reading the spoiler about Belle in the wish world. READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION! Major spoiler ahead!

He'd been trapped in that prison cell for three decades with his madness and lunacy only to keep him company. When the Evil Queen from the other realm had opened his prison, freedom had been the first thing on his mind. The second thing was an old memory he hadn't bothered to drudge up in years. A young woman with chestnut hair and azure irises filled his head. Finding her and revealing his unrequited love for her seemed frivolous after so many years of absence.

He found himself back at his old homestead, rummaging through the castle for a single one of her belongings. The only thing he managed to find was a moth eaten golden ball gown, the outfit she'd worn the day she'd agreed to go with him forever. He held it delicately in his talons, imagining her middle aged with streaks of gray in her chestnut hair. He assumed she was still as lovely as ever with a few age lines creasing her brow. She was probably married with grandchildren by now, but he didn't care. In his mind, it wasn't about being together. He knew she wouldn't want that after he'd thrown her out like day old rubbish. He knew he could live without her. However, he yearned to know of her well being.

He managed to find enough ingredients to make a tracking potion. He respired deeply as he poured the ethereal blue liquid over the dress. It rose high into the air, floating rapidly to the north which would have been the opposite direction of Avonlea. Perhaps Belle had preferred to resettle elsewhere. Maybe she wasn't able to face her father's scrutiny. He could only imagine the yarns which would have been spun about her back at court, sharing a monster's bed.

He scoffed, growing irritated by the amount of time it was taking for the spell to reach her. He snapped his fingers, speeding up the process. The garb flew swiftly over the treetops, and his heart sank as it flew in the direction of Regina's castle, the place he'd just left. He made his way through the dark abandoned corridors and down the damp steps to the dungeons. The gown floated madly in front of a tired old cell. He waved his hand, opening the barricade to reveal a pile of dry bones. The gown drifted towards its former owner, blanketing the corpse softly.

It'd been centuries since Rumpelstiltskin had allowed himself to cry, but he couldn't stop the heart wrenching sob which tore from his throat. He damned the Evil Queen to the very bowels of hell where he hoped she'd rot eternally for murdering his true love. He gazed at his hands stained with iniquity. He realized he was the true perpetrator. He'd shut her out, because he was too concerned with her stealing his power. He had too many enemies, and she didn't have a fighting chance among the wolves. Regina had captured her in attempts to exploit him later, but she'd been exiled, and Belle forgotten.

He was a fool, and he prayed for the castle to fall on him and break all of his bones. It still wouldn't have been enough to compensate the misery he'd put her through. He stifled back more tears as he gingerly wrapped her remains in the gown. He stalked out of the castle, transporting himself back to his former dwelling where he properly buried her in the gardens, near the roses. He erected a tombstone in her honor, surrounding it with protection spells where she could rest in peace eternally without disturbance. He turned his back on her grave, his unrequited love buried with her, for he'd squandered his opportunity to tell her how he felt all those years ago.


End file.
